In the quiet aftermath of the Super Bowl, an autobody shop in Revere fell victim to a calculated break-in, captured by surveillance footage that showcased two thieves in a heist that stripped the establishment of its security. According to WHDH, the incident took place at the Suburban Collision Autobody Shop, where two men were seen using the shield of night to abscond with a 100-pound safe containing $15,000 in cash and other valuables, including jewelry belonging to the owner's late father.
The thieves' heist was meticulously planned, to the point of knowing just were to go to seize their illegal gains. Julio Santiago, the owner of the business, expressed his shock to WHDH, stating, "It feels like I’m walking around and people are watching." Describing the surreal nature of the security footage, he recalled, "It’s crazy because they went fight for it, the way they did it, they knew exactly where it was." The entire operation was over in a matter of minutes, and although Santiago was away on vacation at the time, the resulting loss dealt a significant blow to his thriving start to the year.
Further intensifying suspicions of an inside job, the surveillance system at Santiago's Foster Street establishment appears to have documented the very breach of trust that business owners dread. Speaking to Boston 25 News, Santiago lamented, "It was an inside job, you can’t trust anybody today." The video reveals two thieves using what Santiago believes was a prybar, to force their way into his triple-locked office and lay their hands on the safe.
Hoping to leverage the clear-cut evidence his surveillance system provides, Santiago aims to assist law enforcement in their pursuit of the culprits. The footage shows one thief, seemingly with negligible effort, carrying the safe single-handedly down snow-covered stairs—a feat that Santiago remarked should have been impossible. "It took two of us to carry it up empty, 4-5 years ago. He just carried it down like it was nothing," Santiago told Boston 25 News, while observing the brazen act on video. The conspicuous tracks left behind in the snow offer a silent testament to the robbery, reminding Santiago of the violation experienced by his business.
